News
A: None of our locations will be open on March 11, 2023. ATMs will be operational but, online, mobile and
telephone banking will NOT be operational.
Q: Can I still use my ATM card while the upgrade is underway?
A: Yes, however due to constraints of the upgrade, you will have a fixed balance during this time.
We encourage you to plan ahead for your spending needs before the upgrade is underway. Your last
balance on Friday at 5PM will be the amount you have access to over the weekend.
Q: What happens if I exceed my debit card or ATM withdrawal limit?
A: If you exceed your debit card or ATM withdrawal limit, your transaction may be denied.
Q: Can I still access Online and Mobile Banking while upgrade is in process?
A: Beginning Friday evening March 10, 2023, after 5pm, through Monday morning March 13, 2023 at 9am
account holders will NOT have access to any online or mobile banking functions. Functions will be restored
when we open, Monday. March 13 at 9 am.
Q: Can I access Online Bill Pay during the upgrade?
A: You will NOT be able to access Online Bill Pay during the upgrade process. We highly recommend adjusting
any payments that are due during our upgrade time frame to ensure a timely payment.
Q: I have some payments due during the system upgrade time frame. What should I do?
A: Since you will NOT have access to Bill pay during the upgrade, from Friday evening, March 10, 2023 at 5 pm
through Monday, March 13, 2023 at 9 am, please schedule all online bill payments to be paid before, Friday,
March 10, 2023.
Q: Will my online banking username change?
A: Usernames for existing customers will NOT change during the upgrade.
A: Your e-statement history will not be affected by the upgrade.
Q: Can I still receive a Direct Deposit or make an electronic payment during the upgrade process?
A: If the Direct Deposit or electronic payment was made before the beginning of the upgrade at 5pm on Friday,
March 10, 2023 it will post.
New England Banks Honored With Prestigious Banking Choice Awards
WEST HARTFORD, CT - July, 2019, Banks from Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Rhode Island have been honored with the 2019 Banking Choice Awards in the categories of Customer Service, Technology & Tools, Community Contribution, and Overall Quality. They were presented at an awards luncheon as part of the Best Bank Expo at the MGM Springfield.
The prestigious Banking Choice Awards are presented by American Business Media and Customer Experience Solutions LLC. Unlike typical “popularity contests,” these awards are given based on interviews with hundreds of thousands of banking customers in a double-blind format. No financial institutions are involved in collecting the data, which is then used to create the highly respected Banking Benchmarks. Customer Experience Solutions is the recognized leader in measuring and tracking customer experience for banking institutions.
Vincent M. Valvo, president and CEO of American Business Media, said, “Customers can choose to bank wherever they want. The Banking Choice Awards determine which banks do it best.”
Sugar River Bank, located in Newport, NH, won the Bronze award for Community Contribution in New Hampshire.
Earning the Community Contribution award is significant because it’s based on input from people who are not customers of those institutions. “Unlike the other categories, this is a rating by prospects (non- customers) of each bank. So, to win top prize, banks had to not only make strong contributions to their local areas, but they also had to get the word out about that contribution,” Paul said. “The winners in this category are not only great contributors but are also great marketers as well. You can see from the diversity of top performers that massive marketing spend does not always translate into prospects’ minds, but very strategic spend does. This is how a smaller bank can compete with and sometimes outperform much bigger banks.”
Mark Pitkin, President & CEO of Sugar River Bank, said “I am so pleased and proud that the bank won in the Community Contribution category as it demonstrates how much we care for the communities we live and work in. As a local, hometown bank this is critical to our mission.”
Sugar River Bank Announces Employee’s Recent Graduations
Newport, NH – Sugar River Bank is pleased to announce the recent graduations of two employees from the New England School for Financial Studies at Babson Executive Conference Center in Wellesley, MA.
Jeannine Everitt, Senior Accountant, joined the Bank in 2016. She previously worked at the Evans Group in Enfield, NH, as their senior staff accountant. Ms. Everitt graduated from Franklin Pierce College with a Bachelor’s degree in Accounting. She resides in Goshen with her husband and daughter.
Jillian Cummings, Executive Assistant/Commercial Credit Analyst, joined the Bank in 2015. She previously worked as a credit analyst for Mascoma Savings Bank. Ms. Cummings graduated from Roger Williams University with a Bachelor’s degree in Finance. Ms. Cummings resides in New London with her husband and twin sons.
Mark Pitkin, President and CEO, stated that “Sugar River Bank is proud of Jeannine and Jillian for achieving this accomplishment! The two-year program is very rigorous and we thank each of them for taking time out of their busy lives to successfully complete all requirements. The newly acquired knowledge and skills of both dedicated team members strengthens the Bank’s mission and its commitment to superior customer service.”
Above: Jillian Hurd and Jeannine Everitt
Sugar River Bank announces New Branch Manager for Main Office in Newport and new Vice President/IT Officer.
Newport, NH – Sugar River Bank is pleased to announce Rhonda Rollins as the new Branch Manager of their Newport office.
Sugar River Bank recently hired Rhonda Rollins as the Branch Manager in Grantham where she worked for the past year and a half. She was previously the Branch Manager in Newbury for Lake Sunapee Bank/Bar Harbor Bank and Trust. Mrs. Rollins has over 20 years of banking experience. She served on the Board for the Rollins Ride for 10 years and is the former president of NMHS Friends of Music. Ms. Rollins resides in Newport with her husband.
Mark Pitkin, President and CEO, stated that “Sugar River Bank is fortunate to have Rhonda as the Branch Manager of Newport. She is very well-known in our community and understands the value of building local customer relationships.”
Bradford Rand was also recently hired as VP/IT Officer in Newport, following the retirement of former IT Officer, Steve Smith. Mr. Rand has over thirty years of managing networks and cybersecurity in the Financial Industry, most recently working at UniBank for Savings, Whitinsville, MA. He received an Associate’s Degree in Electrical Engineering from Nichols College. He is ISACA CISM certified (Certified Information Security Manager). In his free time, he is a certified VAST (VT Association of Snow Travelers) Safety Course Instructor and is part of his local snowmobile club. He and his wife will be permanently residing in the Newport area.
Mark Pitkin stated, “we thank Steve for his many years of service and congratulate him on his retirement. We are also pleased to welcome Brad to our team. With his vast experience, knowledge and leadership of IT/cybersecurity, he is a valuable asset to the bank at a time when the management of technology is more important than ever in banking.”
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A Journey to Homeownership
Equity Builder Program
New England Banks Honored With Prestigious Banking Choice Awards
WEST HARTFORD, CT - July, 2019, Banks from Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Rhode Island have been honored with the 2019 Banking Choice Awards in the categories of Customer Service, Technology & Tools, Community Contribution, and Overall Quality. They were presented at an awards luncheon as part of the Best Bank Expo at the MGM Springfield.
The prestigious Banking Choice Awards are presented by American Business Media and Customer Experience Solutions LLC. Unlike typical “popularity contests,” these awards are given based on interviews with hundreds of thousands of banking customers in a double-blind format. No financial institutions are involved in collecting the data, which is then used to create the highly respected Banking Benchmarks. Customer Experience Solutions is the recognized leader in measuring and tracking customer experience for banking institutions.
Vincent M. Valvo, president and CEO of American Business Media, said, “Customers can choose to bank wherever they want. The Banking Choice Awards determine which banks do it best.”
Sugar River Bank, located in Newport, NH, won the Bronze award for Community Contribution in New Hampshire.
Earning the Community Contribution award is significant because it’s based on input from people who are not customers of those institutions. “Unlike the other categories, this is a rating by prospects (non- customers) of each bank. So, to win top prize, banks had to not only make strong contributions to their local areas, but they also had to get the word out about that contribution,” Paul said. “The winners in this category are not only great contributors but are also great marketers as well. You can see from the diversity of top performers that massive marketing spend does not always translate into prospects’ minds, but very strategic spend does. This is how a smaller bank can compete with and sometimes outperform much bigger banks.”
Mark Pitkin, President & CEO of Sugar River Bank, said “I am so pleased and proud that the bank won in the Community Contribution category as it demonstrates how much we care for the communities we live and work in. As a local, hometown bank this is critical to our mission.”
Sugar River Bank Announces Employee’s Recent Graduations
Newport, NH – Sugar River Bank is pleased to announce the recent graduations of two employees from the New England School for Financial Studies at Babson Executive Conference Center in Wellesley, MA.
Jeannine Everitt, Senior Accountant, joined the Bank in 2016. She previously worked at the Evans Group in Enfield, NH, as their senior staff accountant. Ms. Everitt graduated from Franklin Pierce College with a Bachelor’s degree in Accounting. She resides in Goshen with her husband and daughter.
Jillian Cummings, Executive Assistant/Commercial Credit Analyst, joined the Bank in 2015. She previously worked as a credit analyst for Mascoma Savings Bank. Ms. Cummings graduated from Roger Williams University with a Bachelor’s degree in Finance. Ms. Cummings resides in New London with her husband and twin sons.
Mark Pitkin, President and CEO, stated that “Sugar River Bank is proud of Jeannine and Jillian for achieving this accomplishment! The two-year program is very rigorous and we thank each of them for taking time out of their busy lives to successfully complete all requirements. The newly acquired knowledge and skills of both dedicated team members strengthens the Bank’s mission and its commitment to superior customer service.”
Above: Jillian Hurd and Jeannine Everitt
Newport, NH – Sugar River Bank is pleased to announce Rhonda Rollins as the new Branch Manager of their Newport office.
Sugar River Bank recently hired Rhonda Rollins as the Branch Manager in Grantham where she worked for the past year and a half. She was previously the Branch Manager in Newbury for Lake Sunapee Bank/Bar Harbor Bank and Trust. Mrs. Rollins has over 20 years of banking experience. She served on the Board for the Rollins Ride for 10 years and is the former president of NMHS Friends of Music. Ms. Rollins resides in Newport with her husband.
Mark Pitkin, President and CEO, stated that “Sugar River Bank is fortunate to have Rhonda as the Branch Manager of Newport. She is very well-known in our community and understands the value of building local customer relationships.”
Bradford Rand was also recently hired as VP/IT Officer in Newport, following the retirement of former IT Officer, Steve Smith. Mr. Rand has over thirty years of managing networks and cybersecurity in the Financial Industry, most recently working at UniBank for Savings, Whitinsville, MA. He received an Associate’s Degree in Electrical Engineering from Nichols College. He is ISACA CISM certified (Certified Information Security Manager). In his free time, he is a certified VAST (VT Association of Snow Travelers) Safety Course Instructor and is part of his local snowmobile club. He and his wife will be permanently residing in the Newport area.
Mark Pitkin stated, “we thank Steve for his many years of service and congratulate him on his retirement. We are also pleased to welcome Brad to our team. With his vast experience, knowledge and leadership of IT/cybersecurity, he is a valuable asset to the bank at a time when the management of technology is more important than ever in banking.”
A Journey to Homeownership
Newport, NH — Sugar River Bank has been selected to participate in the Federal Home Loan Bank of Boston’s Equity Builder Program, which assists local homebuyers with down-payment and closing costs as well as homebuyer counseling and rehabilitation assistance.
The $3.6 million program provides grants to financial institutions to assist households at or below 80 percent of the area median income. Borrowers are eligible to receive up to $15,000 in assistance on a first come first serve basis. Buyers must also complete a homebuyer counseling program.
“Homeownership is not easily attainable for many households, so we are pleased to offer this assistance to help individuals and families purchase a home. Homeownership helps build wealth and create financial stability, and programs that assist homebuyers can be effective in adding to the vibrancy of our communities,” said Terri Crate, VP and Senior Retail Loan Officer at Sugar River Bank.
Sugar River Bank is eligible to receive up to $150,000 in 2019 through the Equity Builder Program depending on availability of funds.
Since 2003, the Equity Builder Program has awarded more than $38.8 million in EBP funds assisting 3,512 income-eligible households to purchase a home.
To learn more about applying for assistance, please contact Terri Crate at 603-381-3096.
About FHLBank Boston
The Federal Home Loan Bank of Boston is a cooperatively owned wholesale bank for housing finance in the six New England states. Its mission is to provide highly reliable wholesale funding and liquidity to its member financial institutions in New England. The Bank also develops and delivers competitively priced financial products, services, and expertise that support housing finance, community development, and economic growth, including programs targeted to lower-income households.
Annual Awards Meeting
Recently Sugar River Bank held its annual awards ceremony honoring employees for their Years of Service and Above and Beyond Awards!
Mark Pitkin is Elected to Head New Hampshire Bankers Association
CONCORD — The New Hampshire Bankers Assn. (NH Bankers) elected officers and directors for the coming fiscal year during its Annual Meeting held on June 22, 2018. The meeting was well attended, with more than 130 members of the New Hampshire Banking industry.
NH Banker members voted to elect Mark Pitkin, President and CEO of Sugar River Bank, Newport, as Chairman of the Board for the coming year.
“I am very honored and excited to serve the banking industry in NH,” said Pitkin.
NH Bankers Emerging Leaders Conference
Tara Booth (left), Vice President, Compliance Officer/Internal Audit Manager of Sugar River Bank, recently met Senator Shaheen at the NH Bankers Emerging Leaders Conference.
Sugar River Bank announces Newly Elected Corporators
Newport, NH – Sugar River Bank is pleased to announce the recent election of three new Corporators.
At its 123rd annual meeting held on April 18th, in the Sugar River Bank Community Room, Jason “Jake” Stiles, Remi Hinxhia and Lynn Rodeschin were elected as Corporators of the Bank.
Jake Stiles is the Chief Executive Officer at Stiles Associates in New London, NH. He has been with Stiles Associates since 1995. Mr. Stiles has also been an active member of numerous industry associations and boards including the National Association for Manufacturing Excellence.
Remi Hinxhia is a real estate developer and owner/manager of Associated Enterprises, Inc. and Remi Block, LLC, located in Concord, NH. He is active in the community and a strong proponent of creating and maintaining a healthy and vibrant downtown in Concord.
Lynn Rodeschin is the Vice President of Deposit Operations at Sugar River Bank. She has faithfully served the bank for nearly 40 years. Ms. Rodeschin is very active in the community and serves as Treasurer of the Newport Area Salvation Army and Treasurer of the Friends of the Lempster, NH Meeting House.
Mark Pitkin, President and CEO, stated “Sugar River Bank is honored to welcome these distinguished community leaders as Corporators of the Bank. They are very excited to serve the depositors of the bank and their communities.”
Sugar River Bank Offers Assistance to Homebuyers Through FHLB Boston Program
Newport, NH. March 19th, 2018 — Sugar River Bank has been selected to participate in the Federal Home Loan Bank of Boston’s Equity Builder Program, which assists local homebuyers with down-payment and closing costs as well as homebuyer counseling and rehabilitation assistance.
The $3.1 million program provides grants to financial institutions to assist households at or below 80 percent of the area median income. Borrowers are eligible to receive up to $11,000 in assistance on a first come first serve basis. Buyers must also complete a homebuyer counseling program.
“We are pleased to be able to offer this assistance to help ease some of the challenges associated with a home purchase. Homeownership is key to building wealth and creating financial stability, and programs that assist homebuyers are a critical component in ensuring that our communities continue to thrive,” said Terri Crate, VP/Senior Retail Loan Officer, Sugar River Bank.
Sugar River Bank is eligible to receive up to $110,000 in 2018 through the Equity Builder Program depending on availability of funds.
Since 2003, the Equity Builder Program has awarded more than $35 million in EBP funds assisting 3,150 income-eligible households to purchase a home.
To learn more about applying for assistance, please contact Sugar River Bank at 800-562-3145.
About FHLB Boston
The Federal Home Loan Bank of Boston is a cooperatively owned wholesale bank for housing finance in the six New England states. Its mission is to provide highly reliable wholesale funding and liquidity to its member financial institutions in New England. The Bank also develops and delivers competitively priced financial products, services, and expertise that support housing finance, community development, and economic growth, including programs targeted to lower-income households.
Meet Our New Loan Originator and Branch Manager for Our New London Branch!
Meet Our New Grantham Branch Manager!
Sugar River Bank Announces New Intelligent ATM in Concord
Sunapee Business After Hours
